


going out for not coffee

by Anna_banana



Category: Formula 1 RPF, Motorsport RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Brendon doesn't even like coffee, Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M, Mark high key meddles, Pierre is a barista
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29699730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anna_banana/pseuds/Anna_banana
Summary: It’s not that Brendon has a crush on the cute barista, it’s just that he really likes this coffee shop okay, and it’s conveniently close to his flat. Never mind the way he doesn’t even like coffee, never mind the way he has to think of different drinks to order for himself to stop anyone else from noticing. But it's not that Brendon has a crush on the cute barista, honest.
Relationships: Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso/Jenson Button/Mark Webber (implied), Pierre Gasly/Brendon Hartley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	going out for not coffee

**Author's Note:**

> so I guess it's now my life goal to fill the Pierre/Brendon tag?? Idk

It’s not that Brendon has a crush on the cute barista, it’s just that he really likes this coffee shop okay, and it’s conveniently close to his flat. Never mind the way he doesn’t even like coffee, never mind the way he has to think of different drinks to order for himself to stop anyone else from noticing. But it's not that Brendon has a crush on the cute barista, honest.

It’s Daniel’s fault that he even goes to the coffee shop that first time. He insists that Brendon has to finally meet his new boyfriend, and this place is ideally located somewhere in the middle of Max’s uni campus and Brendon’s place. 

Thinking about it, he’s probably never been there before because it’s nowhere near Daniel’s place, the other man located well and truly on the other side of town but well, the things you do for love he supposes.

Brendon arrives late on that day, something that isn’t like him at all. Unfortunately however he had no idea whether Max and Daniel were arriving together or not and if they weren’t, whether or not Max is someone who respects the laws of time. Which would be the complete opposite of his boyfriend. So anyway, Brendon wants to avoid the possibility of them having to awkwardly introduce themselves to each other without Daniel as a buffer, so he arrives late. 

Despite the fact that arriving late was part of his plan, his chest is still clenched tight in discomfort as he walks into the café. When he sees that the other two men are already there, he becomes even more panicked for a moment, as soon as Daniel spots him however, grinning brightly and waving enthusiastically he quickly relaxes, his Aussie friend always able to put him at ease.

“Hey mate, it’s not like you to be late, I was beginning to get worried!” Daniel exclaims.

Brendon tenses before relaxing, as the statement is accompanied by a ‘bro hug’. 

“Sorry I erm, couldn’t find my wallet,” he says sheepishly, waving the (supposedly) offending item in the air. 

He looks over Daniel’s shoulder as he is released from the hug and notices Max’s sceptically raised eyebrow. 

Brendon curses himself at the multiple ways he’s managed to make a bad impression in the span of a couple of minutes. He wonders whether he’s a dreadful liar or whether Max is simply good at picking things like that up. Perhaps, like him, Max is simply perpetually organised, either incapable of losing items or always leaving eons of time spare for any eventuality.

Daniel suggests that Brendon gets coffee before he introduces everyone, gesturing at the steaming mugs already in front of himself and Max. Grateful for the out, Brendon steps towards the thankfully? irritatingly? empty line to get himself a drink. 

“What can I get for you?” 

Brendon is momentarily startled by the (French?) accent of the barista. He would happily admit that but he would however, deny all comments regarding him being startled by how attractive the voice is.

“Hot chocolate please, medium,” he answers, only a split second too late. 

The price is given as response after his assurance that that’s everything and yes he would like cream and marshmallows why not. He taps his card against the machine as the barista sets about making his coffee. 

Pierre, the name supplied by the nametag, angled at a slight diagonal on his apron.

“You know Max?” he asks as he makes the hot chocolate.

Brendon is momentarily confused, before realising the place is currently quiet enough that it’s unsurprising the other man noticed who he was with. 

“Not really, I’m friends with Daniel,” he explains, jerking his head towards the couple.

Luckily, they seem to be too wrapped up in each other to notice.

“You?”

“Uni,” Pierre explains vaguely, “so you’re third wheeling then?” he asks afterwards.

The grimace on Brendon’s face in response says it all. 

“Poor you,” the barista chuckles in reply. 

After a few more seconds, his drink is slid in front of him.

“Have a nice day,” he says finally. 

Brendon responds with a “you too,” before finally joining Max and Daniel at their table. 

There are a few minutes of introductions and only slightly awkward small talk before Brendon goes to take a drink of his hot chocolate. 

As requested, there is whipped cream on top, the miniature marshmallows are made up into the shape of a smiley face. Brendon takes a sip of his drink and finds it to be the perfect temperature. For the first time during the conversation, Brendon’s smile is genuine. 

The next time Brendon goes to the coffee shop, it’s after he’s been on a run. The fact that he’s been on a run isn’t all that surprising, he goes on runs all the time. Also unsurprising is the route, while he mixes it up sometimes, he pretty much always runs past this particular coffee shop on his way back home. What is surprising however is that rather than running past, he starts to walk. He wishes he was more surprised when rather than continuing on his way home, he heads to the door of the café, reasoning that deciding to have a smoothie and possibly get some food after a run is a perfectly sane and reasonable thing to do. 

He ignores the voice in his head pointing out that the run shouldn't actually be finished yet.

When he walks in and notices it’s the same barista as last time, he does his best to ignore what feels like happiness and relief coursing through him.

“What can I get for you?” 

It’s pretty much the same words that any barista would say, that any customer would hear, and yet despite the fact that Brendon wasn’t even in a bad mood, the words cheer him up immensely.

“Just a berry smoothie to go please,” he says looking up at the menu, now desperately grateful that it is an actual option.

“Sure coming right up,” the barista says cheerfully.

There’s the usual exchange of price and payment, Brendon relieved that his watch is set up to take payments, not even having thought about the fact he doesn’t have a wallet with him.

The barista, Pierre, he thinks to himself, starts talking again while the blender is running.

“You look like you need it,” he says, before immediately flustering. 

“Or well I mean it looks like you’ve been exercising or about to and you wouldn’t want to have like coffee or something um,” he trails off helplessly.

Brendon finds that he likes the flush on Pierre’s cheeks. 

“I know what you mean,” he replies, unable to keep a grin from his face. 

“Ah good,” Pierre responds, smiling back hesitantly, pouring out the smoothie into a to-go cup, before handing it to him. “Here you go.”

“Thank you, have a good day,” Brendon says as he takes the cup. 

He tries to hide the hitch in his breath as their fingers brush. He turns around to walk out before he finds himself unwilling and unable to leave.

“Don’t mention it, thanks, or your welcome, wait ah you too.”

Pierre is still scrabbling a response together as Brendon walks out the door. 

Brendon can’t stop smiling as he walks back to his flat, the barista is cute, the smoothie is delicious, and it’s nice to imagine that the weird response as he was leaving was because Pierre was just as flustered as he is, and not because he simply lost his words for a few seconds.

Little does he know, Pierre was just as flustered as him, if not more so in fact. Losing his train of thought when Brendon walked out the coffee shop, wearing running shorts that were actually a present from Daniel, just a little shorter and a little bit tighter than anything he would normally wear. 

When his friend Mark says he’s in town and wants to meet up, Brendon as always enthusiastically agrees. If after years of hanging out at his own flat he instead suggests mixing things up and meeting at a coffee shop, well, the fact he feels like a change of scenery after all this time is simply coincidence. Honest. If Mark is confused by the change in their usual plans then he doesn’t show it, instead simply asking for a name and time. 

Brendon arrives at the coffee shop perfectly on time. When he sees that Mark is already at the counter, talking to the barista he is shocked. He’s not shocked by the chatting to the barista thing but the on time thing, that never happens. 

Brendon would wonder at his inability to find punctual friends if he wasn’t too busy rushing over to the counter to try and stop whatever conversation is taking place. He clears his throat, resulting in Mark turning around and beaming at him.

“Brendon!” he shouts, seemingly entirely oblivious to the concept of an indoor voice.

“I was just telling Pierre here about the fact that my friend, which is you of course, recommended this place, and how I was at first confused seeing as you don’t like coffee but I now realise you were suggesting it on account of the cuteness of the baristas.”

Of course this whole thing is said loudly enough that anyone in the coffee shop could hear, and while the cue is currently quiet there are quite a lot of people sitting at tables. Even more horrifying is the fact that Pierre himself is obviously listening to the full thing. 

Brendon blushes scarlet. 

“I’m not convinced Fernando would be impressed with you flirting with the barista. Or Jenson,” he adds at the end wryly, knowing full well that Jenson is probably a worse flirt than him.

“You know fine well Jenson would find it hilarious, and Fernando trusts me so,” the answer is topped off by Mark sticking his tongue out.

Sometimes Brendon finds it difficult to remember that his friend is actually older than him. 

Before Brendon has a chance to reply he finds that Mark is already ordering for them both, a cappuccino for himself and a tea for Brendon. The other man even pays and almost makes Brendon stop being mad at him, almost.

Unbelievably embarrassed by the situation, Brendon keeps his head down, unable to look Pierre in the eye. If he did, he would have seen the pleased and fond expression on his face as he took payment before going to make the drinks.

When their drinks are ready Brendon is surprised to see them both in to-go cups, obviously he hadn’t been paying enough attention while Mark was ordering. 

Before he gets a chance to grab his own drink, Mark grabs them both from Pierre. 

“I’ll make sure Brendon gets the right one,” he says cheerfully, before ushering Brendon out the door.

Brendon furrows his eyebrows at that comment, confused, they’ve ordered completely different drinks after all, it would be difficult not to take the right one. Before he’s able to ask Mark about the comment, they’re already outside the coffee shop and Mark is handing him his cup. 

As soon as Brendon gets a look at it, he grins brightly.

_Let’s go out for NOT!! coffee.  
Here’s my number.  
Text me.  
Pierre x_

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for any mistakes and let me know if they're super bad, I can't proof read to save myself
> 
> find me on tumblr @bottasvaltteri


End file.
